-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexico heads the list of the world 's most overweight industrialized nations . Fat chance you say ? Exactly .

Nearly a third of Mexican adults are obese , a recent United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization report says , topping even the United States , which comes in a close second at 31.8 % .

The United States has long been a fixture atop the chubby list .

The culprit ? High-calorie , low-cost , processed foods and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle as Mexican incomes rise and more people move into metropolitan areas .

The danger , according to the World Health Organization , is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease , diabetes , degenerative joint diseases and some cancers .

The obesity epidemic is a double whammy for Mexican children , who can be both malnourished and overweight .

`` They are exposed to high-fat , high-sugar , high-salt , energy-dense ... foods , which tend to be lower in cost but also lower in nutrient quality , '' the World Health Organization reports .

It 's a growing problem -- and not just for Mexico . Since 1980 , obesity rates worldwide have doubled .

In 2008 , more than 1.4 billion adults were overweight and 500 million were obese .

The solution is simple but not always easy to accomplish , especially as nutritional options are limited in many parts of the world .

The WHO recommends :

-- Limiting your intake of fats and sugars
-- Increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables , as well as legumes , whole grains and nuts
-- Engaging in regular physical activity : 60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults

CNN 's Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report

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Nearly 33 % of Mexicans are obese , a United Nations report says

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That 's the highest level of the world 's industrialized nations

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Cheap , high-calorie food and lack of exercise are to blame , experts say